ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, New Jersey, May 1, 2018 – The executive search firm JBK Associates International, an Amrop member company, celebrates its fifteenth anniversary today with the launch of GET ON BOARD, a new practice to provide organizations with the diverse board of directors talent they need to help companies change the world.

Not long ago I looked at my younger son’s phone while he was playing Pokémon Go and saw a screen filled with Chinese text. For the uninitiated, this means he was downloading the newest game hack. Pokémon Go asks you to hunt down virtual monsters by traveling around with your smartphone, and my sixth-grader had managed to reach the insanely difficult Level 31 while actually going almost nowhere. He felt proud.

September means fresh starts, and no season brings more overall job search opportunities than the period right after Labor Day. If you haven’t explored the job market lately, here’s some good news: this year, more than any in recent memory, a tightening labor market has put strong executive candidates in the driver’s seat. Whether you’re actively searching or just considering your next move, here are my favorite four steps for making the most of the Career New Year.

One of my best lessons about the workplace came from a three-year-old. Justin was enrolled in the preschool where I worked during college, and he basically defied every request we made of him. He refused to nap, never sat down to listen during story time, and constantly frustrated the teachers with his behavior. Then one day I asked him to do an exercise that proved challenging for the other children. I sat down with him, took my time explaining the exercise and made sure to give him my full attention. Then Justin truly surprised me. Not only did he cooperate and listen, but he got all the answers correct and quicker than his classmates. Even better, when I congratulated him for doing well, he wanted to keep going and continue learning. At that moment I realized Justin was actually very smart and just needed to be reached in the right way.

July Fourth should rank as one of the proudest, most optimistic days of the year for people who enjoy the freedoms of living in the United States. John Adams imagined future generations celebrating the Declaration of Independence with “pomp and parade” and “illuminations” across the continent, and parades and fireworks still mark the occasion.

You can feel it in your gut when an interview goes bad, and as an executive search consultant, I hate to see a talented person implode. What I’ve learned is that interviewing is like flying an airplane. Planes never travel straight from point A to point B: they reach their destination by making constant course corrections. Here’s how you can do the same.

“How do I identify the candidate who can best lead our organization into the future?” Great question. Most business leaders find it simplest to focus on experience and credentials. As a result, companies typically rely on rigid checklists designed to replicate the last person who held the role rather than entering uncharted territory by seeking new skills for future success. But done right, hiring for potential is a rigorous process that will lead you to the candidate you never knew you always wanted.

From Super Tuesday to the NCAA tournament, March reminds everyone how hard it is to pick a winner, and that includes the many companies that have recently completed their annual talent review and planning. Here are key characteristics you can focus on to ensure that your next hire is the right one: